Rare and nice antoninianus of Numerian, son of Carus, as Augustus, minted in Antioch.
Roman Imperial
Numerian (283-284), Antoninianus 283-284, Antioch mint
Obverse: radiate bust right
IMP C NVMERIANVS P F AVG
Reverse: Emperor standing to right, holding sceptre, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing to left, holding long sceptre, Γ in field between, XXI in exergue
VIRTVS AVGG
Weight 4.3 g
Offered Numerian antoninianus belongs to the so-called type XXI or KA (Greek spelling for the numeral 21, where K stands for 20, A = 1) introduced in 274 as part of the Aurelian reform, which guaranteed that 20 units of copper contained 1 unit of silver, which was 5% of the metal.
Quite precise dating allows us to know that in December 283, after the death of his father Carus, Numerian was promoted by his older brother Carinus to the rank of a real co-ruler with the title of Augustus and he died in November of the following year.
